Fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylenes, useful as catalysts in polymerization of monomers, e.g., epoxide, vinyl ether, and N-vinyl monomers, are prepared by condensation of precursor fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methanes with aldehydes or N-formyl compounds.

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I claim:

1. A fluoroalkylsulfonyl ethylene compound having the formula ##EQU11## wherein Q is a monovalent organic radical selected from the group consisting of Z(CR=CR')n --, aryl, and arylmethyl, wherein R is hydrogen, an alkyl group, or a phenyl group, R' is the same as R with at least one being hydrogen, and N is an integer from 1 to 7, Z is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, arylalkyl, or alkylaryl, and Rf and R'f are monovalent saturated perfluoroalkyl radicals each having from 1-18 carbon atoms.

This invention relates to novel fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylene compounds, their use as catalysts, and to a method of their preparation. The invention also relates to novel precursor fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methanes used in the method.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART

The curing of epoxide, vinyl ether, and N-vinyl monomers in the presence of catalysts is well known in the art. For example, epoxides can be cured in the presence of boron trifluoride and complexes thereof and vinyl alkyl ethers can be polymerized in the presence of aluminum trichloride and related Lewis acids. While the use of such acid catalysts has been found to be advantageous in many cases, their use is often objectionable because many acid catalysts are highly corrosive to various substrates, such as metals. Other catalysts are objectionable because of their volatility. The present invention provides catalysts which are highly effective, substantially non-corrosive, and essentially non-volatile.

In one aspect, this invention provides a novel class of substituted ethylene compounds useful as catalysts for curing monomers. These ethylenes are non-acidic, therefore non-corrosive, and they are non-volatile during use. Some of the substituted ethylenes can be used in admixture with the monomers to provide latently curable compositions having a desirably long shelf or pot life.

In another aspect, the invention provides novel precursor methanes useful in preparing the substituted ethylenes of the invention.

Certain precursor methanes useful in the chemical reaction to obtain the novel fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylenes of the invention are known. Examples include bis(perfluoroalkylsulfonyl)methanes disclosed in a paper presented by H. A. Brown to the American Chemical Society in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in September 1955, bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,398 and by Gramstad and Haszeldine in Journal of Chemical Soc., 4069 (1957), and bis(perfluoroalkylsulfonyl)methanes, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,472. Likewise, somewhat related substituted ethylenes are known, e.g., bis(alkylsulfonyl) ethylenes and perfluoromethyl sulfonyl ethylenes see U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,188 and L. M. Yagupolski and A. G. Pateleimonov in Zh. Obshch. Khim., 36, (3) 416 (1966), respectively, but these substituted ethylenes are considerably weaker than the substituted ethylenes of the invention, if at all effective, in catalyzing epoxide, vinyl ether, and N-vinyl monomer polymerization.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The novel fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylenes of the invention are formed by the chemical condensation of certain precursor fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methanes with aldehydes or N-formyl compounds, i.e., compounds characterized by containing a "--CHO" group. The fluoroaliphatic sulfonyl substituted ethylenes of the invention are preferably represented by the general formula: ##EQU1## wherein Rf is a monovalent saturated fluoroaliphatic radical, for example, containing from 1 to 18 carbon atoms (preferably 1 to 8 carbon atoms) with the majority of the carbon atoms preferably being perfluorinated; X is a monovalent, non-ionic, electron-withdrawing radical that is at least as electron-withdrawing as a benzoyl radical [i.e., having a Hammett sigma (para) value of at least 0.5], e.g., a cyano, arylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl, perfluoroalkylcarbonyl, arylsulfonyl, perfluoroalkylsulfonyl, nitro, fluorosulfonyl, or chlorosulfonyl group, (preferably X has the general formula R'f SO2 where R'f is a fluoroaliphatic group as defined for Rf above, including R'f being identical to Rf); R is hydrogen, alkyl (preferably having 1-3 carbon atoms), or phenyl; R' is the same as R with at least one of R or R' being hydrogen; n is an integer from 0 to 7 depending on Z; n is 1 to 7 when Z is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkylaryl or 2-furyl; n is 0 when Z is aryl or arylmethyl (e.g., benzyl) or amino, dialkylamino, arylalkylamino, diarylamino, alkylamino, arylamino or heterocyclic nitrogen-containing organic radical having a free valence on a ring nitrogen atom (e.g., a morpholino group) or Z is an unsaturated, conjugated heterocyclic organic radical containing one or more oxygen, sulfur, or nitrogen heteroatom and having a free valence on a carbon atom (e.g., ##SPC1##

As mentioned above a majority of the carbon atoms of the fluoroaliphatic groups Rf and R'f are perfluorinated. The term "perfluorinated" and the prefex "perfluoro" is employed to denote substitution of all carbon-bonded hydrogen atoms by fluorine atoms, in accord with the recognized usage of these terms, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,398. This usage carries no implication of similarities in properties between corresponding groups and compounds of hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon systems; hydrogen and fluorine are not chemically equivalent or similar.

The above-mentioned fluoroaliphatic groups can contain chlorine atoms bonded to the carbon atoms as well as having fluorine and hydrogen atoms bonded to carbon atom. Preferably for any two carbons bonded together in a chain, there is no more than one hydrogen atom or one chlorine atom, with fluorine atoms occupying the remaining non-skeletal carbon bonds.

The combined electron withdrawing nature of the SO2 Rf group and the X group is influential in providing the desired catalytic activity; the greater the electron withdrawing nature, the greater the catalytic activity will be of the fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylene compounds of the invention. The electron withdrawing nature of the SO2 Rf and X groups can be determined by various known methods, e.g., by Hammett sigma (para) values as obtained by the method disclosed by H. H. Jaffe, Chem. Rev. 53 191 (1953). For the purpose of providing useful catalytic activity the combined electron withdrawing nature of the SO2 Rf and X groups should provide a sigma (para) value of at least 1.0, with the X group having a sigma (para) value of at least 0.5. Preferably, the SO2 Rf group has a sigma (para) value of at least 0.7, providing a combined sigma (para) value of at least 1.2 for the two groups. A benzoyl radical, for example, has a sigma (para) value of 0.5. A preferred SO2 Rf group is SO2 CF3 having a sigma (para) value of 0.9. A very useful fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylene is provided when both X and SO2 Rf are SO2 CF3 groups. Additionally, exemplary organic radicals providing useful X groups include cyano, arylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl, perfluoroalkylcarbonyl, perfluoroalkylsulfonyl, nitro, fluorosulfonyl, and chlorosulfonyl groups.

The novel substituted ethylene compounds of the invention are most conveniently formed by condensation of precursor fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methanes with aldehydes and N-formyl compounds in a chemical condensation reaction which can be illustrated as follows: ##EQU2## wherein X, Rf, Z, R and R' are as defined above. The reaction of the N-formyl compounds is usually in the presence of a carboxylic acid anhydride such as acetic anhydride and propionic anhydride.

In another method, the substituted ethylene compounds can be obtained by the reaction of an alkali metal salt of the fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methane with the N-formyl compound in presence of an active acid halide which reaction can be illustrated as follows: ##EQU3## wherein Q1 and Q2 can be monovalent radicals such as hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl or (when taken together) a divalent radical such as --(CH2)5 -- or --CH2 CH2 OCH2 CH2 -- to form a ring structure. The active acid halides useful in the process are those that form complex halides with the N-formyl compounds, such as are described, for example, by H. Eilingsfeld, et al, Angew, Chem., 72 836 (1960). Examples of active acid halides include benzoyl chloride, benzoyl bromide, acetyl chloride, phosphorus oxychloride, phosphorus trichloride, thionyl chloride and phosgene. In the reaction, an equimolar amount of the active acid chloride is usually used.

Yet another useful method of obtaining certain of the substituted ethylene compounds of the invention includes condensation of active hydrogen-containing substituted ethylene compounds (previously made according to the invention), e.g., (CF3 SO2)2 C=CHCH2 C6 H5, with additional aldehyde to provide substituted ethylene compounds having additional substituents.

It will be noted that the combined electron-withdrawing nature of the SO2 Rf and the X groups will be sufficient to at least make one of the hydrogen atoms of the methylene group of the fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methane precursor sufficiently acidic, i.e., having a pKa of less than 7, to permit the condensation reaction with an aldehyde or N-formyl compound to occur, and to provide compounds of the invention having catalytic utility.

Novel fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methane precursors have been prepared and found useful in providing the novel substituted ethylenes of the invention on condensation with an aldehyde or an N-formyl compound. These precursors are preferably represented by the general formula: ##EQU4## wherein Rf is as described above and R3 is alkyl, for example having 1 to 18 carbon atoms (preferably 1 to 8), a fluoroaliphatic group such as Rf as defined above, or aryl such as a phenyl, naphthyl, biphenylyl, tolyl, or anisyl group.

The novel fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methanes of the invention are conveniently prepared by reaction of a fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methyl magnesium halide with a suitable acyl halide as is preferably represented by the following general formula: ##EQU5## wherein X" is monovalent chlorine, bromine or iodine, X' is monovalent chlorine or fluorine, and Rf and R3 are as defined above.

The reaction for producing the novel fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methanes is most conveniently carried out by mixing the acyl halide in an inert organic reaction medium such as tetrahydrofuran containing the fluoroaliphatic methyl magnesium halide under anhydrous conditions, acidifying the mixture, and removing the product from the organic reaction medium.

It should be noted that the novel fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methanes, as well as providing precursors for the fluoroaliphatic substituted ethylenes of the invention, are themselves useful acidic catalysts for epoxy polymerization.

The aldehydes and N-formyl compounds useful in the condensation reaction to produce the novel fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylenes of the invention can be represented by the general formula Z(CR=CR')n CHO wherein R, R', Z, and n are as defined above. Exemplary useful aldehydes and N-formyl compounds include:

AROMATIC ALDEHYDES

benzaldehyde

4-nitrobenzaldehyde

2-chlorobenzaldehyde

4-bromobenzaldehyde

4-cyanobenzaldehyde

4-hydroxybenzaldehyde

3,4-dichlorobenzaldehyde

2-hydroxybenzaldehyde

3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde

3-bromo-6-methoxybenzaldehyde

4-methoxybenzaldehyde

mesitaldehyde

4-hydroxy-3-ethoxybenzaldehyde

3-bromo-6-hydroxybenzaldehyde

2,3-dimethoxy-5-bromobenzaldehyde

2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde

2-isopropoxybenzaldehyde

2,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde

4-valeryloxybenzaldehyde

3-methyl-4-benzyloxybenzaldehyde

3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde

4-acetoxybenzaldehyde

4-acetamidobenzaldehyde

4-(methoxymethyl)benzaldehyde

3,4,5-triacetoxybenzaldehyde

2-benzaldehydesulfonic acid, sodium salt

4-methoxybenzaldehyde-3-sulfonic acid, sodium salt

4-fluorobenzaldehyde

3-trifluoromethylbenzaldehyde

4-formylphenoxyacetic acid, sodium salt

terephthalaldehyde

4-hydroxyisophthalaldehyde

4 methoxyisophthalaldehyde

2,5-dimethoxyterephthalaldehyde

1-naphthaldehyde

2-naphthaldehyde

azulene-1-carboxaldehyde

2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde

ferrocene carboxaldehyde

5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene-2-carboxaldehyde

9-anthraldehyde

2,5-dibutoxyterephthalaldehyde

2,4-dimethyl-7-isopropylazulene-1-carboxaldehyde

tolualdehyde

4-(2'-chloroethylthio)benzaldehyde

HETEROCYCLIC ALDEHYDES

2-furaldehyde

thiophene-2-carboxaldehyde

pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde

pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde

β-(2-thienyl)acrolein

3,4-dimethylpyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde

4-carbethoxy-5-methyl-2-furaldehyde

4-carbethoxy-5-phenyl-2-furaldehyde

3,5-dimethyl-4-acetylpyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde

ARYLALKYL OR ARYLALKENYL ALDEHYDES

phenylacetaldehyde

cinnamaldehyde

11-phenylundecapentaenal

ACYCLIC ALDEHYDES

crotonaldehyde

acrolein

acetaldehyde

n-butyraldehyde

N-FORMYL COMPOUNDS

formamide

N-benzylformamide

N-(p-methoxy benzyl)formamide

N-triphenylmethylformamide

4-formylaminotoluene

1-formylaminonaphthalene

5-formylaminocaproamide

N-formylmorpholine

dimethyl formamide

formanilide

A list of other useful aldehydes can be found in Chap. 2, Organic Reactions, Vol. 15, (1967) edited by A. C. Cope, New York.

One convenient method for preparing the fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylene compounds of this invention consists in bringing a fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methane precursor into intimate contact with an aldehyde in a liquid reaction medium, which is non-reactive to the reactants and the product, at a suitable temperature which is generally in the range of 60° to 150°C., and maintaining the mixture at the temperature until the reaction is essentially complete. The liquid reaction medium is preferably a solvent for the reactants and the product; most preferably it will also form an azeotrope with water that is a reaction byproduct, giving a convenient means of removing the water from the reaction mixture. Examples of suitable reaction media include benzene, toluene, xylene, mesitylene, and chloroform. Anhydrous basic tertiary amines such as pyridine can also be used as a reaction medium although they usually produce low yields of the condensation product--especially with bis(fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl)methanes. Strongly basic solutions such as aqueous sodium hydroxide or sodium methoxide are to be avoided because they may degrade the condensation product. Upon completion of the reaction (which is evidenced by cessation of the production of water), the condensation product is separated from the reaction mixture, e.g., by distillation or evaporation of reaction medium, with further purification, if desired, by re-crystallization from liquid anhydrous media.

The preferred reaction temperature range is from about 60°C. to about 150°C. but temperatures as low as 25°C. and as high as 165°C. or even higher can be used.

The reaction, to proceed satisfactorily, may require the presence of a catalytic amount of organic base such as piperidine, triethylamine, or the organic acid salt of piperidine or triethylamine. Use of a catalyst, however, is not required where the precursor fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methane is a bis(perfluoroaliphaticsulfonyl) methane.

For convenience, the reactions of this invention are conducted at normal atmospheric pressure but pressures above and below atmospheric pressure can be used. The reactor can be a vessel of simple design constructed of any non-reactive materials such as glass, ceramic ware, or stainless steel and is preferably provided with means for agitation, cooling and heating, and equipped to protect the charge from atmospheric contaminants.

The molar ratio of the precursor fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methane to the aldehyde used in the method may be varied, but best results are obtained when equimolar amounts of aldehyde and fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl methane are used. With aliphatic aldehydes such as acetaldehyde, however, a molar ratio of 2:1 or greater (aldehyde to methane) is preferred.

The particular amount of fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl ethylene catalyst to be used and the temperature of polymerization are dependent on the particular monomers and catalyst used, as well as the particular application to be made. Generally, the amount of fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylene catalyst to be used will be in the range of 0.1 to 20 weight percent, preferably 0.1 to 5 weight percent based on the weight of monomeric material. The temperature will generally be 25°-150°C. or higher.

The vinyl monomers polymerized by fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylenes of the invention contain a vinyl group and are typified by vinyl alkyl ethers, such as vinyl methyl ether, vinyl ethyl ether, vinyl n-butyl ether, vinyl 2-chloroethyl ether, vinyl isobutyl ether, vinyl phenyl ether and vinyl 2-ethylhexyl ether, vinyl ethers of substituted aliphatic alcohols, such as ω-hydroxybutyl vinyl ether, and N-vinyl compounds such as N-vinyl-N-methyl octanesulfonamide. A description of vinyl monomers and their use in preparing polymers is set forth in "Vinyl and Related Polymers", by Schildknecht, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York (1952).

The epoxide monomers polymerized by the fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylenes of the invention include both monomeric and polymeric aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic epoxy compounds typically having an epoxy equivalency (i.e., the number of epoxy groups contained in the average molecule) of from 1.0 to 6.0, preferably 1 to 3, this value being the average molecular weight of the epoxide divided by the epoxide equivalent weight. The epoxide monomers are well known and include such epoxides as epihalohydrins, e.g., epichlorohydrin, alkylene oxides, e.g., propylene oxide, styrene oxide, alkenyl oxides, e.g., butadiene oxide, glycidyl esters, e.g., glycidyl acetate, glycidyl-type epoxy resins, e.g., the diglycidyl ethers of Bisphenol A and of novolak resins, such as described in "Handbook of Epoxy Resins", by Lee and Neville, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York (1967).

Particularly useful epoxides which can be used in this invention are those which contain one or more cyclohexane oxide groups such as the epoxycyclohexanecarboxylates, typified by 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate, 3,4-epoxy-2-methylcyclohexane carboxylate, and bis(3,4-epoxy-6-methylcyclohexylmethyl)adipate. For a more detailed list of useful epoxides of this nature, reference is made to the U.S. Pat. No. 3,117,099.

Further epoxides which are particularly useful in the practice of this invention include glycidyl ether monomers of the formula ##EQU6## where R is alkyl or aryl and n is an integer of 1 to 6. An example is the glycidyl ethers of polyhydric phenols obtained by reacting a polyhydric phenol with an excess of chlorohydrin, such as epichlorohydrin, e.g., the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A. Further examples of epoxides of this type which can be used in the practice of this invention are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,018,262.

This invention is further illustrated by the following examples wherein all parts are given by weight and temperatures are in degrees centigrade unless otherwise specified.

EXAMPLE 1

Catalyst Preparation

A mixture of 7.5 g. (0.05 mole) of 1-naphthaldehyde, 14.0 g. (0.05 mole) of bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane and 50 ml. of benzene was heated under reflux (4 hrs.) until water ceased to be formed. During reaction, the water was removed by distillation using a Barrett-type water-receiver. The mixture was heated under reduced pressure (0.02 mm) to 100°C. leaving a residue which was recrystallized from hexane to yield 12.7 g. of the fluoroaliphaticsulfonyl substituted ethylene compound, 1,1-bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)-2-(1'-napthyl)ethylene, having a melting point of 91°-93°, and a chemical structure as follows: ##SPC2##

Epoxide Polymerization

A solution of 0.03 g. of the 1,1-bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)-2-(1'-naphthyl)ethylene prepared above in 0.3 ml. of methylene chloride was added with stirring to 3.5 g. of 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate containing 0.1% of H2 O. The mixture was exposed to air for 15 min. and then heated at 75° for 5 min. giving a hard cured polymer.

EXAMPLE 2

A mixture of 8.0 g. (0.08 mole) of benzaldehyde, 14.0 g. (0.05 mole) of bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane, 0.1 g. of piperidine and 50 ml. of benzene was refluxed until production of water ceased. Benzene, water and starting material were removed by heating, giving 15 g. of a solid residue. Recrystallization of the solid residue from hexane gave 13.3 g. of β,β-bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl) styrene, (CF3 SO2)2 C=CHC6 H5, m.p. 39°-41°.

EXAMPLE 3

A 250 ml. dry flask fitted with a stirrer, addition funnel and condenser connected to a drying tube was charged with 28 g. (0.1 mole) of bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane and 75 ml. of dry tetrahydrofuran. To the stirred solution was added 58 ml. of 3.0 molar methylmagnesium chloride in tetrahydrofuran. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 0.5 hrs. and 15.0 g. (0.15 mole) of benzaldehyde added. The resultant mixture was stirred at room temperature for 3.5 hrs. and hydrolyzed by the slow addition of 80 ml. of 3N HCl. The organic phase was separated and heated to remove tetrahydrofuran and the residue extracted with diethyl water. The extract was dried over magnesium sulfate and distilled to yield 13.3 g. of (CF3 SO2)2 C=CHC6 H5, b.p. 103°-104° (0.05 mm.), which solidified on standing.

Polymerization of vinylcyclohexene dioxide to a solid cured product was effected at room temperature using about 1% by weight of the above benzaldehyde condensation product dissolved in methylene chloride.

A mixture of 4.8 g. (0.05 mole) of 2-furaldehyde, 14.0 g. (0.05 mole) of bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane and 50 ml. of benzene was stirred under reflux and water continuously removed. The reaction yielded 11.8 g. of 1,1-bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)-2-(2'-furyl)ethylene, (CF3 SO2)2 C=CHC=CHCH=CHO, b.p. 109°-110° (0.01 mm). The condensation product was crystallized from hexane, giving a product having a m.p. of 78°-79°.

EXAMPLE 6

Using procedures described in Example 2, β,β-bis-(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)-o-chlorostyrene, b.p. 117° at 1 mm., was prepared by condensation of o-chlorobenzaldehyde and bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane.

EXAMPLE 7

Using procedures described in Example 2, β,β-bis-(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)-p-nitrostyrene, m.p. 102°-104°, was prepared by condensation of p-nitrobenzaldehyde with bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane.

EXAMPLE 8

Using procedures described in Example 1, β,β-bis-(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)-3-ethoxy-4-hydroxystyrene, m.p. 82°-84°, was prepared by condensation of 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde with bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane. The compound was recrystallized from hexane.

EXAMPLE 9

A mixture of 5.0 g. (0.005 mole) of (C8 F17 SO2)2 CH2, 1.6 g. (0.01 mole) of 1-naphthaldehyde and 100 ml. of mesitylene was heated under reflux for 9 hrs. until water ceased to be produced. The mixture was allowed to cool and then filtered giving 5.1 g. of crude product. Recrystallization of the crude product from hexane gave 2.6 g. of the following product. m.p. 113°-114°. ##SPC3##

Anal. Calcd: C,30.1; F,57.8; H,0.7. Found: C,30.1; F,57.0; H,0.8.

EXAMPLE 10

A mixture of 14 g. (0.05 mole) of bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane, 6.6 g. (0.05 mole) of cinnamaldehyde and 50 ml. of benzene was heated under reflux until evolution of water ceased. There was obtained about 7.3 g. of ##EQU7## m.p. 93°-94°C.

EXAMPLE 11

Using the procedure described in Example 10, the reaction of bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane and pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde gave ##EQU8## m.p. 112°-114°C.

EXAMPLE 12

Crotonaldehyde (3.5 g.; 0.05 mole) was added to 14 g. (0.05 mole) of bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane dissolved in 50 ml. of benzene. The mixture was heated under reflux until water evolution ceased. The reaction yielded (CF3 SO2)2 C=CHCH=CHCH3, b.p. 78° (0.2 mm.) and a higher boiling sulfone product having 31.7% fluorine and a molecular weight of about 1120.

EXAMPLE 13

Acetaldehyde (9.3 g.; 0.21 mole) in 20 mol. of benzene was added to 28 g. (0.1 mole) of bis(perfluoromethylsulfonyl)methane in 50 ml. of benzene. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for one hour and heated then under reflux until evolution of water ceased. The reaction yielded 8 g. of (CF3 SO2)2 C==CHCH3, b.p. 108°-112° (2 mm.).

EXAMPLE 14

The reagent CF3 SO2 CH2 MgCl was prepared from 22.0 g. (0.15 mole) of methyl perfluoromethylsulfone and 0.2 mole of methylmagnesium chloride in tetrahydrofuran. Butyryl chloride (30.0 g.; 0.3 mole) was added at room temperature and the mixture stirred for two hours. The mixture was hydrolyzed with 3 N HCl, the tetrahydrofuran phase separated and heated to remove solvent. The residue was dissolved in diethyl ether and the solution (dried over MgSO4) heated to remove the ether, giving 14 g. of the novel fluoroalkylsulfonyl methane precursor, CF3 SO2 CH2 COC3 H7 b.p. 90°C. (5 mm.). A sample was recrystallized from water, m.p. 67.5°-68.5°C.

Having the moldability and conformability of plaster of paris, yet cures quickly to form a strong article; a composite sheet comprising a mixture of a water curable resin and a filler selected from glass and ceramic bubbles